There’s been plenty of talk. Now, in Westlake, there’s finally something to report about the progress of the new Interstate 10-Calcasieu River Bridge. Even more surprising? December will bring snow in“The City United.”

“It’s a seven-year window to build the bridge. Well, the clock is ticking, we’re about six-and-a-half years down that timeline,” Westlake Mayor Hal McMillin told the City Council at its Monday meeting.

He and other representatives from the city met with a few “major players” from Calcasieu Bridge Works (CBW) earlier that day for a close-up look at the lay of the land, discovering two uninhabited houses in the process that CBW was not aware of and will soon be removed.

“They are still in the design phase now,” McMillin said, “people are moving to the area, they’re working on right of ways and doing geotech work. You’ll see a lot of that going on right now. They’re saying you should really start seeing some type of work on the ground around the first quarter of 2026, and they are predicting the finish of the bridge will be in the fourth quarter of 2031”

McMillin said the plan is to keep Sampson Street open as long as possible, but there will come a time when it will be necessary to detour via Miller Avenue.

Westlake City Council gave a property owner about one month, or until the next Council meeting on Dec. 16 to bring in a current engineering report, mold inspection and site plan before applying for permits to make repairs to his home. Council also requested that the property owner make repairs in a timely way once he obtains permits Council was responding to an ordinance ordering the condemnation and demolition of the structure located at 1124 Shady Lane.